What to Do When You Have a Coupon for a Missing Productby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 21 May 2009 11:09 AM In the coupon world, there is nothing worse than having a great coupon only to find out that the store doesn't have the product you need. This is especially true when you have one of the rare "get it free" coupons with those short expiration dates. What should you do? Here are some suggestions. If your store normally carries the product but is out of it because of high demand (when there is a sale), first find out from the manager when the product is expected to arrive. It may be worth returning to the store. Some manager will even hold the product aside for you when it comes in. Ask for a rain check. If you expect that your coupon will expire before you can use the rain check, ask the manager if they will allow the coupon to be used within a certain period of time after it expires, if you use it with the rain check. Some managers will allow this and others will not. If yours does, staple the coupon to the rain check, so you can use the two together. Check the clearance racks. Old products have to make way for new products, and you just may find what you need on the clearance rack or in the clearance aisle. If your store doesn't carry the product, you can ask the manager if the store will allow a substitution for the product. Explain that you have a lot of shopping to do and would rather not go to another store just to use your coupon. Many times the manager will allow the substitution to keep you shopping within the store. Finally, be sure to request that the particular product be carried in the store. There is a whole complicated system that determines what products are available. Manufacturers pay to have products placed on shelves, but the store buyers also have a say in what goes up and is available. Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right. Favorite Deal Websites: Related Articles: Things to Do with Expired Coupons A Guide to Salvage Grocery Shopping A Guide to Salvage Grocery Shopping 2 Five Little Grocery Shopping Tricks: Shelf Placement Coping with the Grocery Shrink Ray Adjusting Your Price Book with Escalating Grocery Costs Coping with No More Coupon Inserts New Grocery Shopping Techniques Five Little Grocery Shopping Tricks: Hide and Seek Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Discuss this article
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